Life Cycle of Frogs

Frogs are amphibians.  This means that they need to live part of their lives in water, and must live near water for their entire lives.  Their eggs are laid in water and their skins are not waterproof, so they can dry out if the weather is dry and they’re not able to get wet.  Frogs go through an interesting life cycle which has them starting out in the water and then moving to land.

Eggs – A female frog will lay a large masses of eggs, coated in a slimy jelly to protect them.  This is called a spawn.  Frogs usually lay eggs in any pools or large puddles they can find, especially after a heavy rain.  Eggs take between 6-21 days to hatch.

Tadpoles – Tadpoles are frog larvae, an intermediate form between eggs and adult frogs.  Tadpoles have long tails for swimming, and gills for breathing the oxygen dissolved in water.  When they first hatch, tadpole will use their mouths to stick onto grass, leaves, or stems for about 7 days, then release themselves and start swimming and eating algae and some insects.  Tadpoles grow slowly more and more frog-like over 6-9 weeks, developing legs and lungs that they will use for life on land.

Metamorphosis – Metamorphosis in frogs is a fast and dramatic change in body shape.  The frog’s legs grow, its eyes and ears develop for use in sir rather than in water, it starts breathing with its lungs while its gills are covered up, and finally its tail shortens.  All this can happen in just 24 hours!

Adult Frogs – Adult frogs mostly eat other animals (carnivorous) and live on land, though always near to water sources for mating and breeding, or just to cool off!